- Author: Launa Herrmann
https://siarchives.si.edu/blog/serpents-slugs-and-science-interesting-career-paul-bartsch
“Snails and Slugs,” Pest Notes, Publication 7427, at http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PDF/PESTNOTES/pnsnailsslugs.pdf
- Author: Trisha E Rose
- Author: Mike Gunther
Buds are popping.
Can you hear spring?
Nature is calling
- Author: Jenni Dodini
Steve and I took our winter getaway trip south to Palm Desert. As per our usual, we looked for hiking trails nearby (that have no entry fees), and this is a good one. Easy and well-marked trails, plant regrowth the areas, and composting restrooms are among the amenities. The docents are knowledgeable and available for questions. However, no dogs allowed. The docents did say that the best time to come is in March as the desert is pretty much in full bloom then. (You still have time to plan a quick trip if you want to get some sun.)
The bioregion here is the Sonora Desert which gets around 3.23 inches of rainfall a year, and only about 0.41 inches of summertime rain. There are 270 native plants to this area according to Calscape.
The pictures below are of the creosote bushes (Larrea tridentata) that are all over the place. They bloom small yellow flowers with 5 petals, and as you can see, produce fluffy seeds that disperse with the help of the wind. They grow to about 3 meters tall and have dark green leaves. If wet, they give off a strong odor of creosote.
The other two plants that were bloom in and caught my attention are the Hairy Desert Sunflower bad the Hairy Sand verbena.
The Desert sunflower - Gerea canescens - is classed as an annual herb and grows around 2.6 feet tall. It blooms in the winter and spring, needs full sun, sandy soil, and very little water. It propagates by seeds that need 2 weeks to 5 months of 122 degrees F temperature!!!! ( Guess it will NOT grow in our area, and I'm happy to live without it. )
The Hairy Sand Verbena - Abronia villosa - also known by the common name of desert sand Verbena - is a very sticky flower with a sweet fragrance that attracts bees. It flowers all year, but most profusely from February through May.
Overall, this trip has had very good weather with afternoon temps in the low 70s. The storms that are hitting at home, although desperately needed, are not reaching this far south. Just a bit of rain is falling here.
- Author: Betsy BUXTON
Just came back in from the backyard on a dreary, cold, and trying-to-rain day, and I'm confused! Isn't this the week before Christmas Day – in December--, or am I wrong? Out in back there are roses in full bloom (and more buds coming), a couple of gladioluses are merrily blooming away in their pot and the hydrangeas are still in bloom! The hanging fuchsias under the pergola near the squirrel ferns are also in full bloom! By the way, these are the same fuchsias which were sheltered last year under the porch roof and looked as though they were ready for the compost heap!
It's cold, people ( I mean plants), why are you going great guns as though summer was NOT a mere memory BUT actually here? Last year the ground-planted paperwhites bloomed in mid-October, now they are almost at full bloom; they look so stark up against the spent foliage at the back fence – but beautiful! Some other plants have started their displays much earlier as the sasanqua camellia near the front door decided it was time back in September-October to grow some bright red-pink flowers, while the new sasanqua under the willow tree in the backyard burst forth with a coat full of clear dark pink flowers in late November and still is covered in blossoms. I still have to dig a 5-gallon raised planter/hole for it, but with the soft wet soil, it will be a much easier (and faster) job.
The japonica camellias which were planted last year are growing their buds and soon ‘Nuccio's Pearl' (and the one whose name I've forgotten will be joining ‘Debutante' in the side yard near the ‘Blood Good' Japanese maple. I was happily surprised as that area gets shade only until 12 noon and then the sun hits it with a vengeance. Only 2 hostas left us this year because of the sun but I'll be replanting with other varieties to fill in that area; this time of the year, that area is covered by bright green moss which slowly fades as the sun gets brighter and hotter.
The ‘Christmas' cacti are also blooming away; last year I was so careful in where I placed them – they died! This year, it's out in the open without much upper story planting and they're doing well!! Go figure? Bulbs are coming up and blooming BUT so are the weeds! Last year's bumper crop of malva weeds are growing – like weeds, but the soft ground frees them like carrots.
Did any of you buy bulbs from the Bulb Guy? I did and I now have 8 inches of new green growth from my Crinum X Amaryllis belladonna bulb so I didn't spend my $29 in vain! By the way, Plants Delights Nursery.com also has them in various white and pink-white colors. I've already ordered mine.
Season's Greetings to you all – use that salutation since not all folk celebrates Christmas! Hope to see you again in the New Year at the Vallejo Farmers' Market!